“And that’s exactly what I was thinking,” she added. “About someone trying to shoot her down foolishly. I like being alive, myself -- seeing these gardens in summer seems a terribly high price to pay for such a drop. Binoculars are better.” And the less involvement with the Kingsguard, the better; there was a reason she’s never accept a job to obtain anything from these grounds, despite the delicious challenge of contemplating it.
No, living was far preferable to the alternative.
The problem with tours -- do they have tours?” she asked, her own thought derailed before she shook her head and said, “Anyway, the problem with tours is that they never show you anything interesting. I went on a city tour once, just to see what the tourists saw -- here’s this building, built three hundred years ago in the neoclassical style, and on and on.” She rolled her eyes. “I’d rather make up my own mind what I find interesting. Wouldn’t you?”
“Of course.” Aspel both parroted and used as a sort of confirmation of Ari’s dismissal of her thanks. It seemed - in the smith’s opinion - that more often than not when thanks was offered on either behalf, the other was often left in confusion or doubt. Perhaps, that was simply how life between the two of them was meant to be. Somehow, the thought of having stretches of amusement, joy, and warmth with bits of confusion or doubt didn’t seem all that bad when presented as such. The feeling stretched on for a moment, bringing a tender smile to the smith’s face before a thought emerged from the simple feeling that instantly dashed everything, and had Aspel attempting to emotionally shove it all away. Better not to think of things like that in the end.
An eyebrow carefully rose at the notion of taking a tour of Emillion. Honestly, Aspel had considered the idea, and had even listened in on the passing tour here or there with her time spent within the confines of the city, but actually taking one just seemed far too odd when one lived there. Finally, she’d offer a brief shake of her head, amusement sinking in once again. “Why you would bother is beyond me. However, perhaps someday we can take a tour of our own, no?” And the glint in her eye would clearly indicate that Aspel had a few ideas on where they could certainly start.
“I was curious,” Ari said by way of explanation. “I do a great many absurd things out of curiosity. Some of them -- like the city tour -- only once.” And some became lifelong habits. It really depended, in the end, on how much the experience spoke to her sense of fun.
“A tour of our own, you say?” she asked. “I doubt you mean a pub crawl. How do you suggest we make such an endeavor properly entertaining?” She could think of a way or two, but the glint in Aspel’s eyes had piqued her curiosity -- she kept her suggestions temporarily to herself. “I trust the landmarks would be notable not for their architecture and historical significance. Not that architecture doesn’t have its place, but the market is rather cornered on that, so we shall have to do something more unique.”